Wenger vows to keep Fabregas and Nasri

Arsenal coach Arsene Wenger has vowed that he will do everything in his power to prevent midfield pair Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri from leaving the Emirates.

Fabregas, who was at the centre of a transfer wrangle last year as Barcelona tried to prise him away, is again wanted at the Camp Nou with the Catalans having made an offer of £27million.

Arsenal have rejected the offer but Fabregas, 24, is known to want to return to the club he has supported since he was a child. He joined the Barca youth academy aged 10 before moving to Arsenal at 16.

“Our position is always the same, we want to keep Cesc and I will fight as hard as I can to keep him,” Wenger told the Arsenal club website.

Frenchman Nasri, also 24, still has 12 months to run on his contract but has caught the attention of Manchester United who are reported to be preparing a bid for £20m.

“Samir Nasri is exactly the same. We will do everything we can to keep him,” said Wenger.

Wenger has already seen defender Gael Clichy leave the club this week in a deal that took him to Manchester City.

Arsenal, however, are expected to bring in Lille striker Gervinho and have also been linked with Valencia’s Under-21 Spain midfielder Juan Mata, whose buy-out clause would be around £20million.

However, the Gunners boss rejected suggestions he would buy just for the sake of it.

“If there were an obvious choice, people would have already made their decisions,” said the Frenchman.

“Everybody needs the same players for the same positions. We are at the top level and therefore need exceptional quality to strengthen our side.

“I can understand that people say ‘you have money, just go out and buy’, but it’s not only that, we want to find the quality we need.

“My responsibility is first of all not to lose players and then to add and make us stronger. Let’s hope we can bring in one or two more additions of top quality.”

Arsenal finished fourth in the Premier League last season and will take part in the qualifiers for the Champions League. They reached the final of the League Cup where they lost to Birmingham City.